Original Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1998. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 15, 1998; 4(1): 77-79
Published online Feb 15, 1998. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v4.i1.77
Effect of aging on cytoskeleton system of Kupffer cell and its phagocytic capacity
Wen-Bing Sun, Ben-Li Han, Zhi-Ming Peng, Kun Li, Qiang Ji, Juan Chen, Huai-Zhi Wang, Rui-Liang Ma
Wen-Bing Sun, Ben-Li Han, Zhi-Ming Peng, Kun Li, Qiang Ji, Juan Chen, Huai-Zhi Wang, Rui-Liang Ma, Hepatobiliary Surgery Center, Southwest Hospital, the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
Wen-Bing Sun, male, was born on July 12, 1964, in Shandong Province, graduated from Second Military Medical University, Ph. D., Associated Professor of Surgery, Vice Surgeon-in-Charge, Post-graduate student tutor, specializing in the study on the prevention of sepsis and aging-induced liver damage, having 48 papers published.
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Wen-Bing Sun, Hepatobiliary Surgery Center, Southwest Hospital, the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
Telephone: +86-23-68754232
Received: May 9, 1997
Revised: August 21, 1997
Accepted: October 2, 1997
Published online: February 15, 1998
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the age-related alterations of cytoskeleton system in liver Kupffer cell and their relation to the changed phagocytic function.

METHODS: The phagocytic function of Kupffer cells from rats of various ages (6 mo, 12 mo,18 mo and 24 mo) were quantitatively evaluated by phagocytosis of polystyrene beads. The actin distribution and measurement of Kupffer cell were determined by a phalloidin-TRITC method; and the myosin and vimentin distribution and measurement with indirect immunochemical staining.

RESULTS: Aging resulted in significant alterations of actin, myosin and vimentin distributions and reductions in Kupffer cell; the 3 cytoskeleton components of 24-mo-old Kupffer cell were significantly decreased to 68.0%, 84.9% and 75.5%, respectively of these of 6-mo-old Kupffer cell(P < 0.01,0.01 and 0.01). And these decreases had significant positive relations with the damaged phagocytosis of the aged Kupffer cell. γ values were 0.96(P < 0.05), 0.99(P < 0.01) and 0.95 (P < 0.05) respectively.

CONCLUSION: The cytoskeleton system of the aged Kupffer cell presents an evident state of senescence, which may be an important mechanism of decreased phagocytosis of the aged Kupffer cell.

Keywords: Aging, Kupffer cell, cytoskeleton, phagocytosis